BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
NURSES from Rannonga, Gizo and Vella have successfully completed a specialised workshop focused on improving maternal health and newborn care, with a particular emphasis on water and sanitation.
The workshop is part of a broader initiative funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the World Health Organization (WHO), and implemented by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services in collaboration with the Water and Sanitation Departments.
Speaking to Island Sun, one of the participants from Gizo Hospital, Rendy Solomon said the core objective of the training is to ensure safe and sanitary conditions for mothers and their newborns.
She said the program focuses on improving access to clean water and proper sanitation, which are crucial to the health of mothers who have just given birth.
“Mothers and newborn babies are extremely vulnerable to infections caused by pathogens and bacteria, particularly in environments where water and sanitation are lacking,” Solomon said.
She emphasized the importance of creating a hygienic maternal environment, pointing that poor sanitation often contributes to the spread of diseases in health facilities.
Solomon said, the team will conduct similar workshops in other parts of the Western Province.
She also adds that engineers from the Ministry will carry out assessments on clinics across the province to ensure water and sanitation infrastructure meets national health standards.
Island Sun understands that the initiative is part of a four-year project launched last year. The project is valued at USD $1 million and is being implemented through the WHO Representative Office in the Solomon Islands. It targets five provinces including Honiara, Guadalcanal, Western, Central and Malaita with the goal of improving maternal and newborn health outcomes.
The project reflects a growing recognition of the role clean water and sanitation play in supporting health services, particularly in rural and remote communities.
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